Traffic control hive base



7, 1965 v. E. ROOT 3,200,419

TRAFFIC CONTROL HIVE BASE 7 Filed March 15, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet l Vial/i E Roof INVENTOR.

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Aug. 17, 1965 v. E. ROOT TRAFFIC CONTROL HIVE BASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15. 1965 Fig.2

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/2 7 Viaf/i E Roof INVENTOR. fiwaai-im BY (um p009 fi/afig Aug. 17, 1965 v. E. ROOT 3,200,419

TRAFFIC CONTROL HIVE BASE Filed March 15, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1N VENTOR.

Attorneys Aug. 17, 1965 v. E. ROOT 3,200,419

TRAFFIC CONTROL HIVE BASE Filed March 15, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 V/ohi E Roof INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,200,419 TRAFFIC CONTROL HIVE BASE Viotti E. Root, Cadis 'Stage Road, Owego, N.Y. Filed Mar. 15, 1963, 'Ser. No. 265,509 11 Claims. (Cl. 6-4) This invention comprises a novel and useful traiiic control hive base and a method for controlling the traflic of bees in a hive and in general aims to provide both a method and a hive base construction which will greatly improve the productivity of a hive.

More specifically, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a hive base structure and a method to facilitate the ingress and exit of bees from the hive without trafiic congestion, thereby increasing the useful productive output of the hive.

A basic and more specific purpose of the invention is to provide a hive base structure and a method which shall be coordinated with the known instincts and habits of bees for the purpose of eliminating the traffic congestion of bees at the hive entrance by separating the incoming honey-laden bees from the the outgoing stream of honey-seeking bees, thereby eliminating the mingling of the two streams of bees with the resultant congestion which is a prime factor in the loss of working efficiency in a hive.

Still more specifically, it is an important object of the invention to provide both a hive base structure and a method for controlling traffic for a hive by utilizing the known instincts or habits of honey-laden bees returning to the hive to seek darkness and of the honey-seek ing bees leaving the hives to seek light to effect and maintain a natural separation of the two streams of bees.

Another purpose of the invention is to reduce the tendency of bees to swarm, which tendency is often caused by or augmented by a trafiic congestion of incoming and outgoing bees, and by eliminating such trafiic congestion through a separation of the streams of incoming and outgoing bees reducing the tendency to swarm.

A still further object of the invention is to increase the productive capacity of a hive by providing a base unit having superior heat insulated properties against frost or cold weather and enabling an easy application of traps and insecticides for pests and parasites entering from outside of the hive, honey and brood chambers.

A further object is to provide a means for effectively heating the hive during the winter seasons, thereby reducing the consumption of the stored honey by the bees in their efforts to maintain a desired hive temperature by converting the honey into muscular energy and heat.

An additional and very important object of the invention is to devise the base structure and method for a more efficient ventilation of the hive by facilitating and aiding the bees to establish a unidirectional flow of air therethrough in substitute for the continuously reversing air flow in conventional hives.

A still further object of this invention is to provide means for controlling the temperature and humidity within the hive by heating, cooling, ventilating or dehumidifying the interior thereof as may be necessary to obtain the optimum environmental conditions for the colony of bees and their desired production.

Yet another purpose is to provide a hive base structure including therein the provision of means for completely excluding the entry of moth larvae and ants into the honey and brood chamber of the hive and which will trap and destroy such pests.

Still another purpose of the invention is to provide a hive base structure which will separate as much as possible the incoming and outgoing streams of bees, inducing the incoming stream of bees to land at one location while inducing the outgoing bees to take off from another location on the hive base.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a pollen collector which may be conveniently built into a new hive base or may be readily applied as an attachment or accessory to an existing hive base to facilitate the gathering or collection of pollen from the bees and the storage and subsequent removal of the accumulated pollen.

A further important object is to provide a pollen collector which shall be compactly mounted in the hive base, may be selectively rendered operative or inoperative and which shall create as little disturbance of or distraction of the routine or customary movements and work of the bees as possible.

An additional object is to provide an entrance opening control device for selectively restricting the size of the hive entrance for such purposes as Winterizing the hive, excluding the return of queen bees or drones to the hive and the like.

A still further object is to provide a hive entrance control device which may be readily applied to a conventional hive base as an attachment or accessory and which may be quickly rendered operable or inoperable by the beekeeper.

Yet another object is to provide a hive entrance control device in accordance with the foregoing objects which shall comprehend the use of interchangeable or adapter elements whereby to provide an entrance opening of a size adjusted for some particular condition.

And a final object of the invention to be specifically enumerated herein resides in the provision of a hive base unit which will obtain the foregoing objects with out necessitating any alterations in conventional hive structure, hive operations or bee treatments which may be desired for a hive and which shall be compact, simple, highly efficient and relatively inexpensive, yet extremely durable and easy to install or remove.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a beehive incorporating therein the novel hive base in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken upon an enlarged scale through the hive base substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and with parts being broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical transverse sectional fragmentary view taken through the hive base substantially upon a plane indicated by the broken section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary detail view in elevation of a portion of the rear of the hive base showing a cleanout and access opening and closure therefor;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of the lower portion of the hive brood chamber and of the novel hive base unit of the invention and a separator board hinged to the hive base for disposal therebetween;

FIGURE 6 is a detail View taken in vertical longitudinal section and upon an enlarged scale substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 6--6 of FIG- URE 1; i

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view from the bottom of the separator board forming the top element of the base unit of this invention;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the hive base showing applied thereto a pollen collecting means which may be incorporated into any of the disclosed forms of the invention or may be used separately and independently therefrom;

FIGURE 9 is a detail view in vertical section taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 99 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the pollen collector adapter assembly of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is an elevational view, parts being broken away, of a Winterizing entrance restricting device forming a part of the invention; and

FIGURE 12 is a view similar to FIGURE 11 of a bee excluder entrance restricting device in accordance with the invention.

It is well known among bee keepers that these are intelligent insects with distinct and pronounced characteristic traits as well as highly developed instincts and habits. It is the basic purpose of this invention to provide a process and a structure which will make use of these traits, instincts and habits for the basic purpose of increasing the efficiency of operation of the bees and the honey produced by a hive as well as to enable the bees to better protect the colony from such detrimental and adverse conditions as cold weather, robbing of the hive by other bees, detrimental effects of contamination of the honey by wind-blown bacterial yeast which ferments honey or from the depredations of such parasites or enemies as the wax moth larvae or ants.

As beekeepers have long known, the factor of colony morale among the bees has a direct bearing upon the productive output of the hive. One of the prime difficulties to be overcome in maintaining a high colony morale is that of the confusion or traffic congestion at the hive entrance. The incoming stream of honey-laden bees are interferred with by the honey-seeking outgoing stream of bees with both streams seeking to use the same area adjacent the hive entrance. This results in tratfic congestion, and confusion among the bees with the bees tumbling over each other so that honey-laden bees are frequently unable to enter the hive but are repeatedly hurled backward from the entrance by the fresher, nonload carrying honey-seeking bees emerging from the hive. Bees frequently exhibit symptoms akin to frustration under these conditions which lowers the colony morale and the output of the bees.

Further, this trafiic congestion makes it easier for bees attempting to rob the hive to make their way thereinto. Still further, and more important, however, is the fact that this traffic congestion tends to increase the tendency of the colony to swarm. Swarming depletes the available workers of a hive, at least temporarily, and thus reduces the productivity of the hive. I have discovered that there is a definite strong tendency or instinct for the incoming or honey-laden bees to seek the dark and for the honey-seeking or outgoing bees to seek the light; and that use can be made of these characteristics of bee behaviour for useful purposes.

A further benefit obtained by the induced separate stream of ingoing and outgoing bees in a one-way flow is that as a resultthereof the air circulation which the bees maintain through the hive in order to properly cool the same and remove foreign matter blown into the hive is made unidirectional without the periodic reversing flows now commonly employed by the colony. The continuous flow obviously has a better hive cooling effect requirwhile at temperatures of 57 or above they tend to disperse or scatter. The colony endeavors to maintain a desired optimum temperature by inducing an air fiow through the hive to cool it and by exercising to generate heat and raise the temperature. This latter procedure requires the bees to consume considerable quantities of the honey sock of the hive in order to obtain the energy which they convert into heat by exercise. This activity both decreases the over-all honey output of the colony as Well as shortens the life of the bees.

The invention further includes the concept of air conditioning the incoming stream of air, as by cooling, controlling its humidity and the like by any conventional air conditioning mechanisms to the end that the life span of the bees is lengthened both by reducing the need for their own eiforts to regulate their environment and also by providing superior living and working conditions. The maintaining of optimum temperatures and humidity also greatly minimize various diseases which attack the colony.

Basically, it is the underlying purpose of this invention to assist the bees in overcoming their various problems thereby increasing the bees morale, well being and productivity.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 it will be observed that there is shown a typical beehive consisting of the usual honey or brood chamber section 10 to which the usual hive supers, not shown, may be superposed for increasing the storage capacity of the hive and to produce the removable and saleable honey, in a conventional manner, not shown. Indicated generally by the numeral 12 is the improved hive base of this invention of a construction to be set forth hereinafter and upon which the hive honey or brood chamber section 10 is mounted, the base 12 replacing the conventional base heretofore employed for this purpose. The novel base 12 embodies all of the various structural features of this invention so that by the simple operation of substituting the base 12 for a conventional hive base, all of the benefits and advantages of this invention may be attained and realized.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 in conjunction with FIGURES 2, 3 and 5, it will be observed that the hive base 12 consists of two components comprising a lower or bottom section or portion 14 to which is hingedly connected as by the hinges 16 an upper or top section or portion 18 which latter comprises a separator board or a means for separating the lower portion of the hive base from the honey or brood chamber 10.

Although the hinges 16 may be secured upon any desired vertically aligned walls of the hive base bottom and top portions, it is preferred to mount them, as shown in FIGURE 5, upon a side wall of the top and bottom portions.

Referring first to the base lower portion 14, it will be observed that this component of the hive base consists of a bottom wall 20, side walls 22, to one of which is secured the hinges 16, together with a front wall 24 and a rear wall 26, this base portion having an open top.

The front wall 24 is downwardly and rewardly inclined whereby there is provided an overhang which shelters the entrance from weather, sunlight and the like.

The front wall 24 is provided between its sides with an opening or entrance 28 having a closure 30 hingedly secured as by hinges 32. The closure 30 can be adjusted between a substantially closed position as in FIGURE 5 and a fully open position as in FIGURES 1 and 2 whereby to vary the air inflow into the hive. As shown in FIGURE 1, this entrance is open with the closure 30 extending outwardly to provide a landing platform for the incoming bees. In FIGURE 5, the door 30 is shown in closed position as during wintering of the bees. It will be appreciated that the position of the closure 30 may be varied as desired during various conditions as during the seasons.

The back wall is likewise provided as shown in FIG- URE 4 with an opening 34 provided with a closure 36 hingedly connected as at 33. The opening 34 comprises a clean-out or access opening to obtain entrance into the rear portion of the base lower portion for a purpose to be subsequently apparent.

With special reference to FIGURES 3 and 5, it will be further seen that the bottom portion 14 of the hive base is provided with a pair of inner walls each shown at if; and which are parallel to the side walls 22, and are of the same height, thus providing longitudinally extending chambers 42 between the inner walls and the side walls. These chambers preferably are employed to provide a heat insulating space so as to prevent heat loss from the hive during cold weather. For that purpose these may comprise merely dead air spaces, although preferably heat insulating material 43 may be placed in this space and/r heating elements of an electrical or other nature may be utilized if desired. As a result of this arrangement the hive is better able to withstand cold weather maintaining the bees in a better condition for wintering.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and electric heating elements 45 are embedded in the insulating material 43 in the chamber 4-2 adjacent the iner walls Recessed into the outer wall 22 is an electrical receptacle 47 connected to the elements 45 and by means of which electricity may be supplied from any suitable source. A connector 49, see FIGURES 2 and 5, connects the elements 45 of the two compartments 42. A suitable thermostatic control and switch of any conventional known type, diagrammatically indicated at 51 in FIGURES l and 5 will be incorporated into the heating circuit for adjustably regulating the temperature maintained within the hive.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3, and 5 it will be observed that in the rear portion of the hive base lower portion 14 and between the inner walls 4i) there is provided an inclined ramp 44 at about a 3% degree angle to the horizontal while the upper and rearward end of this ramp is joined to the back wall by a horizontally extending partition forming a top wall 46. There is thus defined between the two inner walls 40, the top wall 46, the bottom wall and the rear Wall 26 containing the closure member 36, a chamber 50 which is utilized for various purposes as set forth hereinafter, as for the trapping and extermination of such pests as wax moth larvae and ants or for the collection of pollen.

It should be noted that the lower end of the ramp 44 is spaced above the bottom wall to provide a clearance 52 therebetween. The dimensions of this clearance are highly critical being usually in the order from ths to i nds of an inch.

When the wax moth invades the hive, it lays its eggs on the base floor 14- between the entrances 3d and the ramp 44 along the side walls 22. When the eggs hatch, the larvae attracted by the bait in the chamber 50 crawl toward the latter. The wax moth larvae grow rapidly upon eating so that in a few hours they are several times their size when newly hatched. The clearance 52 is sufficient to permit the newly hatched larvae to pass therethrough into the chamber 50 in search of food; but is too small to permit the escape therethrough of the grown larvae or the resulting pupae and wax moths. Further, ants entering the chamber attracted by suitable bait are subject to the action of ant insecticide pills 54 and likewise are destroyed, the access port and closure 34-, 36 providing a ready means for cleaning out the chamber 5%) and for introducing the insecticides therein.

Extending transversely across the major width of the ramp 44 adjacent its upper end is a slit 56 which is of insufficient size to allow the egress of the wax moth larvae or of ants therethrough from the trap chamber 5th but which will permit pollen, scraped from the legs of the bees as the latter climb the ramp, to drop through the slit into the trap chamber 5b and thus furnish an effective lure or bait and nourishment for the wax moth larvae which will cause the latter to grow to its normal size whereby it cannot leave through the clearance 52. This is a highly effective means of entrapping and killing wax moth larve.

To facilitate the removal of pollen from the bees legs at the slit 56 there are provided appropriate sets of pins 58 projecting upwardly from the ramp on both sides of the slit 5s and which brushing against the legs of the bees shake some pollen therefrom causing it to fall through the slit.

The slit and pin arrangement 56, 58 just described is intended and is effective for only occasionally brushing a few grains of pollen from the bees for use as bait and nourishment for wax moth larvae in the trap chamber 52. To this end, the pins 58 are spaced apart a distance considerably greater than the width of a bee so that only at irregular intervals does a bee brush against them and discharge some of its pollen.

However, when it is the desire of the beekeeper to collect pollen, for which there is a ready and important market, a much more eflicient pollen collecting means is provided. The pins are more closely spaced so that every rbee must pass between and brush against a pair of pins, thereby removing a substantial portion of the pollen it carries. Moreover each bee may be caused to pass through a plurality of sets of the pollen removing pins to more completely gather the pollen.

To this end, the ramp 44 and the pin and slit arrangement 56, 53 of FIGURES 2, 3 and 5 is replaced by the modified pollen collecting means of FIGURE 8. A plurality of the transverse pollen slits 55 are provided in the ramp 53 and associated with each slit is a pollen removing pin assembly indicated generally by the numeral 57.

Each assembly 57. mayconveniently be in the form of an attachment which may be applied to the ramp 53, including a base or mounting plate 59 suitably secured to the ramp and having a pair of standards 61 at the opposite ends of the associated slit 55. Rising from and either integrally or fixedly mounted upon the plate 59 are a series of pollen receiving elements 63 which correspond to the pins 58 and may be of the same spacing and perform the same purpose. However, an adapter element is associated with these pins. The adapter element 65 includes a transverse shaft or axle 67 journaled in the standards 61 for oscillation about a horizontally xtending axis. Carried by the shaft are a plurality of auxiliary or adapter elements 69 which upon turning of the shaft 67 may be selectively lowered into an operative or pollen collecting position or raised to an idle or inoperative position. In this latter position, the elements 63 will function exactly as do the pins 58.

'The spacing of the auxiliary elements 69 with respect to each other and to the elements 63 is such as to convert the relatively large openings between the elements 63 into a plurality of narrow openings between the elements as into a plurality of narrow openings, each just wide enough for the passage of a single bee and whereby both legs of the bee will rub against the adjacent elements 69 or 63 and brush a substantial portion of the pollen from the bee which then drops through the associated slit 56 where it is collected in a tray or container 71 slidably mounted in the chamber 59 below the slits 56 upon tracks 73 and removable through the access door 36. By way of example only, the spacing between the elements 63 may be of the order of inc-h, while the spacing produced by the use of the auxiliary elements 69 may be approximately /5 inch.

Although each shaft 67 may be individually oscillated or rocked, it is preferred to connect them by lever arms 75 and link '77, see FIGURE 8, for simultaneous operation. One of the shafts has its end extended through a side wall 22 of the hive base into a recess 79 therein where it is provided with a manual actuating knob or handle 81. Thus the shafts do not project beyond the sides 22.

Reference is next made to FIGURES 3, and 7 in which it will be observed that the hive base upper portion 18 consists of a horizontally extending panel or separate board 66) which constitutes a partition separating the lower portion 14 of the hive base from the honey or brood chamber 19 of the hive. The partition 66 is provided with upstanding side and rear walls 62 and 64 respectively so that there is provided an open front for this upper portion which latter is likewise open at its top. As will be noted from FIGURE 3, one of the side walls 62 is hingedly connected to the corresponding side wall 22 of the lower portion of the base by the hinge means 16. In this manner, the upper portion comprises a top for the hive base lower portion and can be pivoted or swung upwardly to obtain access to the latter or may be lowered and rested upon the latter as shown in FI URE 3.

In its rear portion, the horizontal bottom wall 66 of the upper portion 18 is provided with a transversely extending slot 66 comprising an entrance way by which the bees moving up the ramp 44 and passing the pollen removing means 58 or 57 may enter the upper portion of the hive base and thus the lower portion of the honey or brood chamber resting directly upon the upper portion 18.

As previously mentioned, the front wall of the upper portion is open throughout all or any desired portion of its width and constitutes an exit by which, as set forth hereinafter, honey-seeking bees will leave the hive.

As will be noted from FIGURE 2, the rearward portion of the bottom wall 60 of the upper portion 18 directly overlies and rests upon the top wall 46 of the lower portion 14 from the top of the ramp to the rear wall 26 of the lower portion.

A pivoted awning structure is preferably provided for the front opening into the upper portion of the hive base. Thus, there are provided transversely extending panels 68 which may extend across part or if desired the entire width of the opening in the front of the hive base upper portion. This awning panel or panels are pivotally secured, as by means of thumb screws or other pivots 70 in the apertures 72, to the upper ends of inclined support standards 74. The latter are preferably carried by the side walls 62 of the hive base upper portion. In this manner, as suggested in FIGURES 1 and 2 and as shown in the detail view of FIGURE 6, the awning panel or panels 68 are positioned over and forwardly of the opening in the hive base upper portion in various adjusted positions as shown in full and dotted lines in FIGURE 6. These awnings serve to deflect the incoming bees therefrom and direct them downwards toward the landing platform of the hive base lower portion and may likewise, when adjusted as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 6, tend to deflect or cause the outgoing stream of bees to move upwardly. The awnings shade the en trance 28, making it darker and hence more attractive to the incoming bees. The awning further serve to control the flow of air as it leaves the hive during the circulation of the air, it being understood that the circulated air enters the hive through the entrance 2% with the incoming stream of bees and exits through the opening in the hive base upper portion with the stream of outgoing bees. Moreover, the awning panel serves to offer adjustable shelter against the ingress of rain of the like and also serves as a protection for this purpose for the entrance 28.

As previously mentioned, it is an essential feature of this invention to make use of the bees instinct for seeking darkness when carrying honey to the hive and for seeking light when leaving the hive in search of honey. For this purpose, the areas of the bottom wall 20 and of the adjacent vertical surfaces of the inner walls 40 are painted or otherwise given a black or a relatively dark color for a distance extending from the entrance 28 back or inwardly to an extent defined by the line 86). Conse- 8 quently, the incoming stream of bees will very clearly perceive and be attracted by the dark color of the entrance 28 and the area adjacent thereto. This darkened area is indicated on the sides of the inner walls by the numeral 82 and on the bottom wall by the area 84. Further, the surface of the ramp 44 at its upper portion is likewise darkened as indicated at 86 in FIGURE 3 in order to induce the travel of honey laden bees thereto.

The bottom surface of the bottom wall of the hive base top portion I8 preferably is of a light color xccpt that it is provided with a darkened area about the bee entrance 2?. On the ramp .4, the area immediately adjacent to the pollen slit 5'6 on both sides thereof is likewise darkened as at 9?: and if desired, the top surface of the hive base lower portion top wall 26 may also be darkened as indicated at 92. However, where the hive base upper portion rests on this top wall id, as shown in FIGURE 2, this last mentioned darkened area is of no consequence.

Upon the top surface of the bottom wall 69 of the hive base upper portion 13, a darkened area 5% is provided on both sides of the bee slot 66 and also on the vertical surface of the side and rear walls. The rest of the top surface of the bottom wall '38 forwardly of the darkened area 94 is light colored as also is the surface on the hive base lower portion bottom wall 20 between the areas 84 and In this manner, the honey-laden incoming bees are guided first by the dark colored areas 82 and 34, then by the area 95? and then by the area 94 into the brood or honey chamber of the hive. Conversely, the honeyseeking bees leaving the honey or brood chamber are at once attracted by the light colored surface and the light at the forward end of the hive base upper portion, wl ic lies forwardly of the darkened area 94, to the outside of the hive. Thus there is provided a one-way flow of traffic into the hive through the hive base bottom portion, then up into the honey or brood chamber and then out of the hive upon the bottom wall 66 of the upper portion 13. The two streams of bees are thus diverted or separated from each other during their inlet into and their exit from the hive.

The terms light colored and dark colored are used in a broad or inclusive sense in this application. While white and black coloration offers a very satisfactory and practical color contrast for the purposes of this invention, it is also within its intent to employ other specific colors and various color shadings. It is the obtaining of a definite color contrast between light and dark which is readily detectable by bees which is a vital feature of the invention and the contrasting color areas must be so placed that they will constitute target areas towards which the bees travel.

From its behaviour, it appears that a honey-laden bee identifies a relatively dark area as the inlet into the brood or honey chamber. However, if the entire areas of the side Walls bottom rail or top surface of the base lower portion were to be darkened, or of equal darkness, the bees would beat against and try to pass through such area when he reaches it. For this reason only the areas actually surrounding an opening or those which would be visible from the exterior or approach side of an opening are darkened. The location of the light colored areas is similarly determined.

It has been found by actual practice in the use of this invention that the desired one-way flow of bees is quickly obtained when this hive base is applied completely eliminating the confusion resulting from the two conflicting streams of bees at the conventional single hive entrance. Further, there is immediately adopted by the bees at the entrance of the hive and who fan a stream of cooling air through the hive, the creation of a unidirectional fiow of air passing inwardly at the entrance 23 of the lower portion of the hive base then up the ramp through the hive and then out of the open front of the upper portion of the hive base. This unidirectional flow of air more effectively maintains the hive properly ventilated and cooled and requires less eifort by the bees than does the heretofore frequently reversed flows of air universally employed when there is a single combined inlet and outlet for the hive.

The contamination of the honey in the hive by windblown bacterial yeast which ferments the honey and which is a frequent source of damage to the beekeepers is greatly reduced and sometimes substantially eliminated in the present invention. Whereas in the conventional hive such bacteria is blown into the hive and directly into the honey chamber in a straight line of air flow, in the hive using this base unit, it is necessary for the incoming air to reverse itself, then pass upwardly through the bottom wall 60 of the upper section which constitutes a separator plate between the two portions of the hive base. It is then primarily carried directly out of the hive by the unidirectional air circulation above referred to rather than entering the honey and brood chamber. Consequently, such contamination is greatly reduced in the present invention.

It is frequently desirable to variably restrict the size of the entrance opening 28 from its maximum or summer-time area, and to be able to effect this restriction with precision and celerity. To this end the attachments or entrance control means of FIGURES l1 and 12 are specifically designed.

As shown in FIGURE 11, brackets or support standards 100 are mounted in any suitable manner adjacent the entrance 28, either within or without the hive base. Removably, replaceably and interchangeably journaled upon the brackets 100 is the shaft or axle 1102 of various adjustable entrance control elements, each specifically adapted for a particular purpose.

The control element 104 serves merely to restrict the entrance area for Winterizing the hive to reduce the entrance of cold air. It consists merely of a pair of masking gates 106 spaced to afford the desired restricted area of entrance therebetween, with the gates disposed to partially close the ends of the opening 23. In the same manner as that of the pollen collector shaft 67, the shaft 102 can be manually rocked or oscillated from the exterior of the hive to lower the control element into its operative or entrance restricting position or raise it to an idie and inoperative position.

As shown in FIGURE 12, a control element may be provided for the entrance 28 which is specifically adapted to preclude the ingress or return of a queen bee or drone into the hive. Thus the control element 110 consists of the axle of shaft 111 with teeth 112. projecting therefrom and defining bee openings 114 therebetween. The width of these openings is critical being .162 to .163 inch to exclude a queen bee and .1934 to exclude drones.

The control element 110 is removably journaled in the stand-ards 100 for oscillating or rocking mount between a lowered operative and entrance restricting position and a raised inoperative position by any suitable manually operable means 116 or one such as shown in FIGURE 8. In operation, with the appropriate control element in place, after the queen bee or the drones leave the hive, the control element is manually rocked into its restricting position, thereby preventing their return into the hive while affording uninterrupted passage for the workers.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired tolimit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A method of elminating traffic congestion in a bee hive comprising separating incoming honey laden bees 10 from outgoing honey seeking bees by providing separate inlet and outlet passages for a beehive, providing contrasting dark and light areas for said inlet and outlet passages respectively and thereby utilizing the natural instincts of honey laden bees to seek the dark areas and of honey seeking bees to seek the light areas.

2. A beehive base comprising a bottom, side walls and end walls with an open top and having separate bee inlet and exit in said walls, said inlet and exit having contrasting dark and light areas respectively for utilizing the natural instincts of honey laden bees to seek the dark areas and of honey seeking bees to seek the light areas.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing contrasting dark and light areas includes positioning said areas along their respective passages between the beehive honey chamber and the respective passage inlet into and exit from the beehive.

4-. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of separating comprises the positioning of said passages on different levels in the beehive.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said dark and light areas lie along separate passages each extending respectively from within the beehive interior to one of said inlet and exit.

6. The combination of claim 2 wherein said base includes a horizontal separator board having its periphery engaging said side and end walls, said separator board defining separated bee inlet and bee outlet passages its opposite sides, communicating means extending through said board adjacent one end and communicating both passages with the hive honey chamber, said inlet and exit each communicating with one passage remote from said communicating means.

7. The combination of claim 2 wherein said base includes a horizontal partition defining upper and lower portions on opposite sides thereof, said inlet and exit each communicating with one of said portions, a ramp extending from said bottom to said partition, an opening in said partition at the top of said ramp establishing communication between said positions at a location remote from said inlet and exit and adjacent and accessible to the hive honey chamber, said dark areas being disposed in said lower portion upon said bottom and ramp and said light areas being disposed in said upper portion and upon said partition and between said opening and said exit.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said dark areas include a darkened region in said upper portion extending between said opening and the hive honey chamber.

9. The combination of claim 2 wherein said base includes heating means therein disposed adjacent said side and end walls.

10. The combination of claim 2 including an awning on the exterior of said base and overhanging and sheltering said bee exit.

11. The combination of claim 10 including means supporting said awning for pivotal adjustment about a horizontal axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 507,506 10/93 Stead 6-4 1,100,847 6/14 Schamu 6-4 1,768,041 6/30 Fenno 6-1 2,435,951 2/48 Antles 6-4 2,485,879 10/49- Hardwood 6-4 2,506,118 5/50 Taylor 6--1 2,543,750 3/51 Albrecht 6-1 2,804,045 8/57 Scott 1192 3,086,497 4/63 Novello 119-2 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

LUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF ELMINATING TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN A BEEHIVE COMPRSIING SEPARATING INCOMING HONEY LADEN BEES FROM OUTGOING HONEY SEEKING BEES BY PROVIDING SEPARATE INLET AND OUTLET PASSAGES FOR A BEEHIVE, PROVIDING CONTRASTING DARK AND LIGHT AREAS FOR SAID INLET AND OUTLET PASSAGES RESPECTIVELY AND THEREBY UTILIZING THE NATURAL INSTINCTS OF HONEY LADEN BEES TO SEEK THE DARK AREAS AND OF HONEY SEEKING BEES TO SEEK THE LIGHT AREAS. 